


Worth the fight

by SunsetSwish



Category: Spartacus Series (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-01
Updated: 2014-01-01
Packaged: 2018-01-07 03:28:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1114943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunsetSwish/pseuds/SunsetSwish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The rebellion in Capua never happened and Agron and Duro were never brought there but to another city instead, and another dominus. Although the rebellion didn't ruin Nasir's life as a respected slave, an untimely death of his dominus did. He finds himself at a slave market once again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worth the fight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FuryReina (ShadowRese)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowRese/gifts).



> I had the worst time deciding what plot to follow, since the request left so much room to choose. I picked the ludus au which I've had in mind for a while now and which included what the prompt said – Agron, Duro, Nasir and angst.  
> I chose to do this in a different place and a different dominus because the Romans here don't really matter beyond being a plot device and I believe Batiatus (and Lucretia, and Oenomaus) deserve better than that. Donar is here because I like to think Agron needs someone to look out for him in some way and since Spartacus isn't here, Donar has to do it.
> 
> ALSO - and that's the important part of this author's note - I am a horrible cheater and this is only first part of the story! I am apparently incapable of writing anything short, so I knew I'd run out of time even as I started writing this. I apologize for it being incomplete, but I hope it'll be worth it in the end. I'll have next part tomorrow and another soon after. The whole thing is over 10k.

\- I -

Persistent heat from the sky pooled in the streets, gathered between stone of the buildings and wormed its way even into shaded alleys and interiors like something liquid and vile. Agron had four years to become familiar with it, yet he was certain he wouldn't become truly used to it any sooner than he would die in this land.

He carried himself with a practised dignity which only barely covered his true feelings towards the damned city. He'd trained himself in showing confidence befitting the latest champion of the local arena – just enough to be paid respectful attention to and not to appear anything more than what he truly was. Which was still a slave.

Guarding was Agron's duty only on special occasions, such as the rare visits to the slave market when their dominus was involved in the ludus matters more than he usually was. It so happened that their dominus was a Roman magistrate, who owned the ludus but hired a lanista to actually run it. The latter was was an old Greek named Eugenius, but everyone called him _the Greek_. He was a former gladiator himself, who was lucky enough to not die before reaching retirement age. Two slaves walked with them - Aemilia, who was the magistrate's wife's body slave and Sergius, usually serving the lanista. There was also the doctore, who looked about as displeased with the whole trip as Agron felt, though he had more freedom to show it. He was a rather grumpy man, which was one of the reasons for conflicts between him and the German. Both liked to be vocal about what annoyed them.

In the city noise came from all directions - the merchants, playing children, animals let loose in the streets, occasional shouts after a thief. Smells were just as many and just as invading.

While they made their way through the streets, Agron stopped whenever his dominus stopped and kept an eye out for anything that might pose a threat until they moved again to another destination in the centre of the city. There was nothing more Agron despised than the slave market. He wished he could bow his head and follow the cracks and stones in the ground instead of having to look at the men and women herded onto the stands, plaques hanging at their necks. It's been over four years already and yet the memory of his own auction was very clear in his mind. Besides anger on his and Duro's behalf, he felt pity for all the others trampled under foot of Rome.

They had to stand in the sun, most dirty and naked, taken from their homelands.

The magistrate and the Greek parted ways when one was called to the side by one of the traders and the other turned attention to the potential recruits. Agron went with the Roman. He was a long-time client of the old slave trader, who would invite the magistrate to look at his stock before others, in private. That's where they were going now, away from the open market. The place was darker but also slightly cooler, which was a welcome relief.

Agron glanced over at the several slaves out of pure curiosity, if not boredom. They stood in line in the middle of the room, guarded by two armed and armoured Romans.

Agron found himself looking at one of the slaves longer than the others. It could be just the foreign beauty that stood out to him, even though Agron has seen many attractive foreigners - both enslaved and free. It could also be the way the slave held himself, unafraid and straight, unlike many of the others. The slaves standing beside him were similar to him in that they looked to be in good condition. For once, Agron's gaze lingered.

He had time for it, while his dominus and the trader discussed the stock. The men and women gathered there turned out to be slaves of a recently deceased wealthy land owner, living in a villa south of the city. The man's family didn't care to keep the house or the slaves, instead hoping to receive a considerable amount from selling all the man's wealth. The trader praised his slaves' education, perfect training and obedience.

Agron's gaze wandered over the slaves, then the trader, the sparse furniture in the building, before settling again on the one slave. Agron wondered about his name, his homeland and whether he'd been a slave for long. He could guess the answer to the last question, considering all that the slaver said about his experience.

His skin, his dark eyes and darker hair and stubble, even his height - all appealed to Agron.

When his dominus suddenly addressed him, Agron snapped out of his thoughts immediately and was ready to answer, but he knew he'd been caught staring.

"I need to find two new slaves to replace the two I will take to Rome. Perhaps three. They need to have appropriate skills, which all of those gathered here possess." He said and Agron was confused why he was told all this. Next words caught him off guard. "Would you finally stop giving your doctore problems, if there was a slave in the villa of your choosing?"

Agron opened his mouth to speak, first to address the accusation of causing trouble in the ludus. He wasn't given the chance because the Roman guessed his thoughts and waved his hand dismissively.

"I don't need or care for your apologies now. It's plain to me something has caught your interest here after all, so give answer to the question."

Agron considered his options. He hadn't known that the Roman was aware of his recent disagreement with the doctore and he didn't like that. It was only a temporary conflict anyway, which had to do with the old Greek's decisions regarding the last games. Agron didn't approve of choices the man made for Duro, mainly the partner he was assigned for the two-on-two fight in the arena. It was never Agron anymore, and he'd made his peace with that but to have Duro paired with the man who he hated the most in the ludus was too much.

Agron suspected the man did that on purpose, though he also knew the Greek would not endanger any of his men just to spite another. In the end Ovincus proved he was a good enough fighter and the two stood victorious with little effort, yet the initial anger remained and Agron let it be known to everyone. Even Duro himself tried to talk him out of it, to no avail. It only got on Agron's nerves that Duro seemed to lose much of his own hostility towards the Gaul after the games and the two would now acknowledge each other with a nod.

Since the news reached the magistrate's ears, it wouldn't be wise to cause further problems which could see Agron from his position in the ludus or negatively affect Duro. Pretending to accept a slave was the least he could do. He had consistently refused taking any reward other than coin from the arena and wine from the villa. Everyone probably thought it was because he despised whores, which wasn't true, and that he found none of the house slaves attractive, which was true but not the whole reason.

"I would choose that one, dominus." He admitted finally, looking towards the dark-skinned slave.

The Roman nodded, pleased, and walked aside with the slaver to the side to discuss price of two slaves, the second one chosen by him.

Agron dared look at the young man again. It was hard to tell how old he was. Agron guessed he would be over twenty years of age. He didn't experience much hard labour in his old villa, surely. Someone of his stature and beauty would be kept like a prize. There was more to him, however, Agron could feel that. He wished he could at least meet his eyes now, since he wouldn't speak with him until the slaves was brought to the villa later in the day. The man wouldn't meet anyone’s gaze, however, as any good slave should.

 

  
The travel to the estate was a nightmare. The full implications of what he'd done weighed on Agron's mind and he couldn't stop calling himself a fool all the way back. He should have refused, should have said he did not want a slave. Any slave. He never wanted any of the already living in the villa and he shouldn't have wanted this one. He never touched any of them outside of an order to perform during a party and even that happened rarely.

It was done, however, and he would have to do something about it. First, he'd have to face Duro. He was unable to guess his brother's response. He might laugh at him and say it was about time. At least, that's what the other gladiators will do once they learn of this. He might as well be disappointed. Angry, even. The only sure thing was that Duro was in for a surprise.

. . .

  
They parted ways at the entrance gate. The magistrate turned left to the villa, with Aemilia trailing behind him. Eugenius, the doctore, Agron and Sergius headed to the ludus, through the iron gate to the right.

The two sprawling buildings were connected by a kitchen passage, which extended into quarters for the slaves who worked in the orchards. Orchards spread behind the passage and were framed by an impressive, long wall which formed a square around the area. The garden would be visible from the ludus if there were any windows on the east side of the barracks. There weren't any and the barracks were generally a rather dark place. Agron knew of the orchards but had never been there.

Inside the ludus, two levels connected by stone steps were filled with cells for gladiators on the ground level and the baths and medicus' and unctore's chambers below.  
A colonnade surrounded the training area, providing much needed shade. The gladiators were taking advantage of it, just sitting there or gambling while their trainers were gone to the market. Agron joined Duro on one of the benches.

"Any news from the market?" Duro asked as he always did when Agron left to play a guard to the Roman. Agron's answers were always similar, too, made up mostly of complaints about nearly everything.

"Nothing I haven't heard or seen before." He said. "Nothing I would want you to bother yourself with."

Duro rolled his eyes and shifted on the uncomfortably narrow bench, stretching his legs out. The wide bruising on his right calf from being tripped over by a spear was still ugly but at least it was beginning to fade.

"The games aren't for another week. Anything to cure boredom would be welcome."

"There will be new additions to our numbers. They might provide entertainment for a while, if they have any skill. I can't say I paid attention, they all look the fucking same in the beginning."

He kept to himself the fact that he almost hadn't seen them at all, since at first he was with the magistrate while the lanista was picking the recruits. Later, he was pretty sure they passed by the men after the transaction, for a short moment so the magistrate could approve the choices the Greek made but Agron was too lost in his thoughts then to spare the men a glance.

Another reason was that Agron already had enough people he considered close to him to not have to care about newcomers. He didn't want any more friends that he could lose in the arena.

"They _should_ be of interest to you, brother." Duro teased. "You don't want any of them to try and steal your place."

"As if they could." Agron looked and sounded as offended as Duro expected him to be at his words.

"Be careful. If you meet one holding equal dislike of us Germans as your of Gauls, he might try to beat you just for that." He nudged his brother's foot.

"Let them fucking try."

"You think it wise to rile him up even before we've seen the recruits? He's bound to start a fight before any of them even open mouth to speak." Donar invited himself into the conversation and sat down beside the brothers.

"He gets to leave this fucking hole and see something else than walls and sand. He can take a little pestering for it."

. . .

  
Agron entered his cell only to be stopped in his tracks by the sight before him. The slave was already there, waiting. He must have walked in the shade of the portico on the opposite side of the training grounds when they weren't paying attention or while he, Duro and Donar were below the barracks by the water container. The slave trader didn't waste any time with delivery, no doubt hoping for the magistrate's favour.  
And now, here he was. He glanced up at Agron briefly and when the gladiator said nothing and did nothing, he took two steps closer and reached down to his waistband. He undid the knot and let the garment slide down to the ground, just like that.

Agron froze. He looked because - fuck the gods who put him in this position – he couldn't stop himself. Whatever the man was told before being sent here, he was pretty clear to his purpose. Which was not at all what Agron wanted.

With some effort he collected himself enough to crouch and pick up the blue-striped fabric, straighten it out and wrap it about the slave's hips as it was before. Agron tried to focus on the task but he left eyes on him, and when he met them, he met a frown. He was about to speak when they were interrupted by a third person in the room.

The door was usually closed and not locked, and Agron had closed it behind him when he walked in and saw the man there. Unfortunately, as usual Duro didn't feel he should knock on his brother's door before entering. At least, not in this place. He now stood in the entrance, as confused as Agron was not long ago. His speechless shock lasted only a few second.

"Apologies, I'll leave you to... it."

He was gone as fast as he'd appeared. Agron was pretty fucking certain his brother noticed everything there was to notice about the scene. Agron's hands were still at the slave's waist, tangled in the fabric and he felt the warmth of the his skin where his fingers touched it. He pulled back quickly and took a deep breath.  
The slave stood still in the same spot, moving only his arms to fix the edge of his wrap where Agron's fingers were to clumsy to do it right.

The gladiator ran his fingers through his hair. As if it wasn't awkward enough before his brother barged in.

"If my presence isn't wanted, I will return to the villa." The slave spoke and that was the first time Agron heard his voice. He immediately noticed his accent, still not gone despite his familiarity with Latin language. He noticed how pleasant it was to his ears. Agron reached out and took a hold of the man's wrist even though he hasn't moved to leave yet.

"No, please stay. Sit."

The man sat down as asked, on the edge of the bed while Agron remained standing. He'd rather be able to walk around the room, while he thought about what he should do. He started with the simple thing.

"I don't even know what your name is."

"It's Tiberius."

"That's not your real name, is it?" That was a simple thing to guess. He looked nothing like a Roman citizen should.

"It is as real as anything that my dominus gives me." The man was quick to answer, offended as if Agron had accused him of deceit.

"Apologies, that's not what I meant. It's very _roman_ , for someone like you."

"There are things that are beautiful or desirable for other reasons everywhere in the world, yet only Roman ones are worthy of having. That's the opinion my late dominus held."

Agron allowed himself to curse in his mind. 

"What did the dominus say about your place here?"

"I will aid Aemilia and Marcella at the villa. When I'm not needed, I am to do whatever you ask of me."

Whatever you ask echoed in Agron's mind while he resumed his pacing. Finally he stopped and rubbed his face, trying to think.

"Where do you sleep?"

"Wherever you want me to."

Silence fell between them again. Even if the slave couldn't hear the gladiator's thoughts, he could read his face easily.

"If you don't wish me to stay, there is a place for me in slaves' quarters in the villa." Nasir offered a solution.

As he thought, the gladiator has changed his mind about him. Possibly he never truly wanted him and said what he said only to please his dominus. Based on what he heard at the market, it wasn't an unlikely scenario.  
If he didn't want it, then Nasir wouldn't me made to lie with him and that was a thought which should please him, and yet... And yet it was a rejection and he wasn't used to facing it from anyone.

"I- apologies, I don't know what I've been thinking when I... when I asked for you." Agron confessed, looking so lost Nasir began to feel sorry for him, despite himself.

"I've never had another slave lie with me when we weren't ordered to do so." He continued. "I don't need anything other than my brother at my side and the winnings from the arena so we can leave this fucking land."

Nasir could almost believe him. Almost, because it was Agron who was the cause of Nasir ending up in a _ludus_ instead of proper villa. Worse than that, he didn't know what to think of his position here if the gladiator didn't want to lie with him. Nasir made up his mind. He would somehow convince the man he was lying to himself.

"Is there truly nothing you want from me?"

Agron hesitated. "It's been long since I've had anyone to talk to other than my brother and the few of other gladiators who have enough brains to make it worthwile."

Nasir frowned. "You seek company from a slave."

"Who else would I talk with? Not the fucking Romans?"

"Did you choose me for my voice, then?" He pressed, knowing he was walking a very fine line. He was trying to learn the gladiator, to read him, find out how far he could go before the man put him back in his place. His own agitation grew, and he let it.

"Was it my oratory talent?" He mocked. "You know why you wanted me. You may choose not to touch me, but don't think yourself better than others for it."

Agron stood speechless. "I don't-" He started and failed to find the words. He desperately wanted to explain himself, to apologize to this man who's confused him so much in such a short time. He wanted to make him understand. He must have been a slave all his life and anything different from what he knew was simply too foreign.

Finally, he gave up.

"I think it would be best if..."

"If I returned to the villa?" Nasir gave up as well. 

"Yes, please do that."

. . .

Agron waited some time after Tiberius left his room before walking out himself. He expected Duro to be waiting there for him and he wanted a moment alone. He wanted his thoughts clear, even though it felt they never would be again, since a very clear memory of the slave's body now filled them.

"'Nothing you haven't seen before?'" Duro threw Agron's own words at him as soon as he saw him. "I could swear I haven't seen this one anywhere in the villa before."

"He's just a new slave to replace Blasius and Caelia."

"And he's expected to know his way around the estate, of course." Duro said and Agron thought that would be the end of it, until he added, "Especially the way to your quarters."

"I asked nothing of him. Leave it alone." He snapped, with a little more emotion that was necessary. He passed by Duro and headed to the stone stairs.

"Whatever you say." Duro shrugged and followed his brother to join the rest of the gladiators in the training.

 

\- II -

  
After that, life more or less returned to normal. More for Agron, who focused on training, less for Nasir, since his owner and his surroundings have changed so completely.  
In this new house it didn't take long for him to be noticed for his competency and quiet diligence. The magistrate paid little attention to slaves other than Aemilia and Marcella, but the domina noticed and praised his work.

He wasn't trying to actively make friends among the other house slaves, feeling the recent loss of Chadara's presence too keenly. He was alone. Still, he was polite and when approached by the girls, he easily held conversations with them. They used him as a source of information about other places, since his old villa lay in different part of the region. Of course they asked about the gladiators, too. It was common knowledge that he was a prize, of a sort, to Agron. He had to disappoint them with lack of anything to tell them, even if he wanted to.

One day they were gathered in the kitchen, sorting the freshly bought grain, vegetables and meats. Some of those would go to the Roman tables, some to the ludus, which is why Sergius was sitting with them in the kitchen. Marcella was there too, delegated to easy tasks that allowed her to sit down, since she was with child. She peeled and cut the small vegetables and put them away to be washed by another slave.

"Does he not desire you?" Drusa asked at one point, sounding surprised as though Nasir possessed a universal charm that should have ensnared anyone.

"Your champion doesn't know what he desires." Nasir replied briefly, not wishing to discuss this again.

"Well, I know what I want from him." Catia said, grinning. "And I have a lot to give, too, if only all weren't completely blind to it."

The girls laughed and even Nasir managed a smile. He had quickly become used to Catia's expresions and her favourite topics, even though he's been here only a week. Most of the women and men serving the magistrate were kind people, not shying away from forming friendships among each other. It gave Nasir hope for his future even without Agron's favour. 

"You know that dominus' sister requests the champion's company in private whenever she comes from Rome to visit." Old Glaucia joined in the conversation, carrying a wooden bowl full of artichokes inside. "She's a proper lady and not lacking in beauty. Do you think he'd settle for slaves and whores when he can have women like her?"

"Yes, we know of her and the two others. Please." Catia rolled her eyes. "He's not 'having' anyone, they're Romans, only ever taking. As if someone like them could please a man like him." She added.

"You might want to lower your voice." Rufina cautioned, but no one paid attention.

The conversation went on, Drusa and Marcella arguing whether or not Catia had what it took to please a gladiator.

"To my mind, what he truly wants, he can't get." Sergius suddenly spoke, surprising them all. He had so far sat in silence, focused on fixing a basket in the corner of the kitchen. "I don't blame the man for searching blindly."

"You mean he only wants to leave." Rufina said.

"I've often heard them speak of the north, where they come from." Sergius said.

"Well, why can't he enjoy what’s right here while before he leaves." Catia wouldn't let it go. "His brother is the same, I wouldn't be surprised if it was because of Agron - if he forbade his brother from taking a lover when he wouldn't take one himself."

"Or maybe he has a wife he'd rather be faithful to, than be with _you_." Glaucia snapped at Catia. The two would never be best friends.

"What is _he_ doing here, then?" Catia gestured at Nasir, who immediately felt uncomfortable.

"Maybe it's not infidelity to do it with a man?" Drusa wondered aloud.

"Nothing has happened between us." Nasir insisted, forgetting that the whole conversation started exactly because nothing happened.

"So far. I think he'll have enough time to change his mind." Catia shrugged.

Nasir was glad when Aemilia came to call him away from the kitchen, to help her with arranging the new drapes in domina's chambers. He found himself in the company of other slaves who knew nothing of the conversation in the kitchen and he could focus on other things at least for a moment.

 

  
A week later Nasir was informed he'd be accompanying the dominus to the arena during the next games, which were almost upon them. It was because Marcella, his body slave, was too far along in her pregnancy to risk the travel to the centre of the city in the summer heat, and then having to stand up during the fights. She remained in the villa while Nasir went with the dominus, domina and Aemilia.

He'd witnessed fights before, all of three times in his life. His old dominus found the fighting boring so he only went when he felt obliged to or wanted to gain something from showing in public.

Nasir was fairly certain Agron didn't know Nasir would be there. The gladiators always left for the arena before the magistrate and his wife. Until he was out on the sands for his match, he wouldn't know. Nasir was curious what his reaction would be - would he be pleased to have Nasir watching him or would he be distracted, remembering their last talk?

Nasir shared his old master's views on the fights. He only made effort to focus when he recognized gladiators from his ludus, out of respect for them. By the time the more important matches began, he was truly bored. He was glad to be chosen by the dominus to go in Marcella's place, since it was obviously an honor for someone so new in the villa and he appreciated it, even as he wondered if the Roman hoped to achieve something with that decision.

It was entirely different thing to watch when he'd exchanged words with the gladiator who might lose his life before his eyes. Nasir tried to reason in his mind that it would be of no consequence to him if Agron lost. He would not be sold away. Even though he believed that, the anxiety he felt would not go away. Was he worried for Agron, then? 

He followed every movement of the gladiator, instinctively looking for dangerous moves of his opponent despite having no way of warning him. Agron didn't need it, either. He blocked attack after attack until he saw an opening and struck the other man hard enough to make him stumble. It was easy after that. He didn't let him recover and kept going until he managed the final blow.

Agron raised his sword in victory and Nasir smiled, proud and relieved. He'd already decided he'd visit the ludus one more time.

…

**Author's Note:**

> \- to be continued soon


End file.
